Long Acre Farms to reopen May 20-21

“We have spent all winter remodeling and updating our farm market and ice cream shop this winter to accommodate the vision of the next generation,” said Joan Allen, owner and partner. “My husband, Doug, and I are thrilled to welcome our daughter back to the farm, and with that we realized we needed some changes.”

The newly enclosed and expanded market and ice cream shop adds additional retail and work space along with heating and air conditioning to extend the season. Outdoor seating areas will be updated to accommodate a wood-fired pizza oven.

“We put off major renovations not knowing if we had any of our children interested in coming back to the farm,” Joan Allen said. “When Sarah Allen Henning and her husband, Matthew, moved back from Pennsylvania, we jumped right in.”

Henning is the fourth generation to run the farm’s operations. Her family has owned Long Acre Farms since the 1920s.

“I grew up working in our family business and had no desire to return after completing my college degree, so I headed to the corporate world,” Henning said. “After years of working for someone else, the desire to be my own boss and the family friendly lifestyle pulled us back to the family farm. I am fortunate that my parents are giving me the same opportunity that they were given — a chance to add my own vision to the farm.”

Guests will enjoy more local products, vegan options, artisan breads and wood-fired pizzas that will be offered during special events.

Long Acre Farms was established in the 1920s as a dairy farm that also grew fruits, vegetables and grains. The second generation sold the dairy in the 1960s and changed the farm’s focus to a cash crop farm, growing over 1,000 acres of vegetables and grains under contract to canning factories in the area. The third generation opened the farm market in 1993, and is best known for the large corn maze that is built each year. The theme of this year’s maze, “20 Years of Twists and Turns,” will depict the four generations that each have a unique vision for the farm.

“We realized many years ago that to stay in the agritourism business you have to adapt and add something new every few years to keep people coming back,” Doug Allen said. “From a small farm market to an agritourism farm with a winery, I think we have done OK. I can only imagine what this may look like 10 or even 20 years from now.”

The celebration will feature free food samples, free admission to the Back 40 and sale pricing.